Phil wins Inter-Club XC Race and leads Striders to victory
Phil Coales, from Striders of Croydon, ended the cross-country season with a convincing win in the inter-club cross-country race promoted by Croydon Harriers in Lloyd Park on Saturday afternoon. He completed the six-mile course in 35 minutes 39, more than two minutes clear of his nearest rival. Club colleague Rob Lines also ran well to place third (38.26) with Justin Macenhill fourth (39.18) and Matt Stone eighth (39.44). This gave Striders victory in the four-to-score team event. Team manager Chris Morton was 17th (44.10) and Nigel Finch 18th (44.29). Yasmin Ramsay was the third woman to finish (54.44), while Laura Hartney was seventh (73.16).
In the Malta Half-Marathon, Steve Massey finished 97th in a large field in 86 minutes 41 seconds. Club colleague Serena Stracey ran 96 minutes 53, finishing fourth in the W40 age-group. Striders had ten finishers at the Eastbourne Half-Marathon, led by Darren Woods who ran 99 minutes 02 in windy conditions. Peter Johnson was next home in 1 hour 44 minutes 27 while Striders’ women were led by Selena Wong (1.54.10), who was followed by Adele Boesinger (2.02.25) and Louise Grech (2.02.48).
On Saturday morning John Punt placed second in the weekly parkrun in Lloyd Park, recording 20 minutes 35. Zoe Williams was the second woman to finish, placing 50th overall (26.25). Steph Upton was the second woman to finish the Riddlesdown parkrun, placing 14th overall (23.05), while Becky Laurence was the second woman to finish the Orpington parkrun, placing 17th overall (23.16). Striders had a total of 54 finishers at the various weekly parkruns (23 at Lloyd Park and 31 at other venues).
This weekend some of Striders’ oldest athletes will be competing in the British Masters Indoor Championships, at Lee Valley.
